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Hooe in East Sussex

Google map showing area surrounding Hooe
(The Haunt of Smugglers)
Location: 50.869481,0.404493
General Details
Hooe in East Sussex lies on the B2095 which runs from Ninfield to the A259 Bexhill to Eastbourne road.

The main income from the village was from the Salt works on the Pevensey Levels, and from farming. It is possible, that the Normans landed at Hooe in 1066 as legend has it that Standard Hill at Ninfield was the place where the Standard of William the Conqueror was located, and this would have been unlikely if the Norman's were based at Hastings .

The river Ashbourne was a major exporting route of cannons during the 1600's to the 1800's, from the furnace upstream at Ashburnham .

Hooe's nearness to the sea, and its remoteness, once made the area perfect for smuggling, and the landlord of the Red Lion Pub, James Blackman, was a member of the Groombridge Gang (1733 - 1749). James was probably also attached to the Hawkhurst Gang , as their sphere of influence included this area. The Hooe Company operated from the village, with their leader again James Blackman they seemed to have operated with the two other major gangs and in their own right.

Further south of the village on the marshes lies the site of the abandoned Saxon Village of Northeye (probably North island{North ie}), which is on Hooe levels.
Views
The view across the Pevensey Levels towards the South Downs from the B2095 is very pretty.

If you wish to see the area as deserted as it was 1000 years ago you will need to travel to the Horse Bridge on the Wartling road.

Parking near the pumping station walking around the area, you find you are in an area with few houses visible. The only differences from 1066 when William invaded, is the road surface, and the fact that the Sea Level has dropped about 5 metres, so where you stand would have been a wide river valley.
Services
Hooe in East Sussex Common has the majority of the services in the area, with the area around the church being fairly deserted.

The nearest shopping centre is in Bexhill about 4 miles south east.

The nearest trains are available from Cooden 3 miles to the south east, with busses to Eastbourne or Hastings being caught at the Lamb Inn on the A259.
Map
Hooe is shown as the red symbol on the map.

Nearby Villages

(click on symbol to see the village page)
Village= Town= Recorded in Domesday=
Ashburnham (Last Iron Furnace in Sussex)
2.81 miles
Battle (William the Conqueror prevails)4.81 miles
Bodle Street (White Horse on the roof)4.12 miles
Boreham Street (Picturesque village on top of the Ridge)1.72 miles
Catsfield (Iron, Railways and Clocks)
2.85 miles
Crowhurst (Village devastated by the Normans)
4.25 miles
Hailsham (Ropes and Napoleon)
6.56 miles
Hastings Bulverhythe (Landing place of the citizens)5.43 miles
Hastings Sea Front (Modern amusements,pier and promenade)6.16 miles
St Leonards on Sea (an Edwardian family's gentile resort)6.57 miles
Herstmonceux (Castle and Observatory)
3.86 miles
Ninfield (Last of the Iron Stocks)
1.46 miles
Normans Bay (Last Invasion in 1066)3.05 miles
Penhurst (Beautiful yet Remote)
3.70 miles
Pevensey (Ancient Roman Fortification)
4.41 miles
Pevensey Bay (Fishing and Martello Towers)
4.51 miles
Wartling (World War II defence centre)
2.28 miles
Westham (Enclosure for the Castle)5.15 miles
Windmill Hill (Largest Post Mill in Sussex)2.97 miles
Copyright Villagenet 1998-2024
 
Local Interest
Just click an image
Roman, Saxon and Norman History of the South East
Wadhurst History Society
Hastings Rock the place to listen to
Sigi
The Rudes as lots of people call us, are an outdoor touring theatre company specialising in taking new & original theatre to mainly small rural communities and a few towns across the South of England. We were founded in 1998 & first toured in the Summer of 1999. Currently we tour only in the summer performing 50+ times nightly during June, July & August. https://therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk
Battle Museum of Local History
(Hard to find but worth the Visit)
Wealden Iron Research Group
Hastings Area Archaeological Research Group
Talk in Code fabulous new Album
Bexhill Museum
World War 2 Vehicle database
Battle and District Historical Society